


A Hornet is the Best Wingman

by ReddieSetAndGo



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Bug mention, College AU, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Swearing, sprained ankle warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-05 21:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19048441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReddieSetAndGo/pseuds/ReddieSetAndGo
Summary: The Losers return to Derry the summer before their senior year of college. As they celebrate Georgie, they are ambushed by some angry bugs who force them closer together in ways they never expected.Originally written for the it2ficexchange on Tumblr for @mrs-vh! Enjoy!





	A Hornet is the Best Wingman

“And then-” Georgie continued, looking to each Loser as he spoke. “At the last second, I took off running towards the goal. My friends were screaming for me, they were shouting ‘behind you, Georgie! She’s right behind you!’ but I knew I could make it.” He looked to Eddie, who had been texting him running tips since he made the Lacrosse team, sent him a wink and he smiled, pushing forward. “The goal was right there, my arm was outstretched, the ball cradled in my net, and I could hear Penny’s foot steps hitting the ground behind mine! So I gave it everything I had and threw the ball towards the goal! The goalie missed it by an inch. WE WON!” 

The Losers howled and hollered with excitement, each of them rushing forward to congratulate him. 

“Atta boy, Georgie!” Beverly called out, ruffling his hair as Mike and Richie lifted him into the air on onto Mike’s shoulder. “The Lacrosse champion of Derry, we knew you could do it, buddy!” 

“We are the Champions, my friiiiends,” Bill and Stan began in unison and seconds later they were all singing and cheering. It wasn’t long before Georgie was laughing so hard he could barely take in any air. He tapped Mike who leaned down and he slid off his shoulder with ease. 

“Next time you have a championship we want to know about it, got it?” Stan stated, serious but kind.

He nodded his head, “Got it.” And they pounded fists as a promise.

“Okay, so what are the celebratory plans, then?” Eddie asked, leaning onto Georgie’s shoulder and looking to Bill.

“Richie had a few ideas I think. Rich?”

Their heads turned to a surprisingly quiet and still Richie who was staring at the ground close to Mike and Beverly. “Uh, earth to Rich?” she questioned before following his gaze.

They all leaned down and narrowed their eyes trying to see what had Rich suddenly so spooked. 

“It’s a-“

“A wasp?” Ben questioned, concerned. “Rich, it’s just a wasp, it won’t hurt you.”

“THAT,” he whispered, “is a HORNET.”

“So?” Bill asked, watching the easily angered insect as its wings retracted. 

Richie swallowed thickly, eyes flashing up towards Bill. “What do you mean ‘so’?” His eyes shot back to the hornet as their feet. “They smell your fear and they will follow you. We gotta go. Like, yesterday. Everyone back away slowly.”

Stan laughed, but kept a watchful eye on the thing as it crawled in circles through the grass. “Afraid of that tiny thing are you?” 

Richie took a step back, hands reaching out on either side of him for Ben and Eddie. “These things have nests, dude. There is never just one!” Eddie didn’t move, but Ben let Richie grab at his wrist. “Okay, Rich, we can go,” he said calmly. The others hadn’t caught on just yet, but Ben could tell he was serious. He was afraid. “Let’s go, guys.”

“To where? We haven’t made any plans yet,” Beverly quipped, a hand at her hip.

“Rich, my guy. It’s just one hornet. I think we’re okay,” Mike said, but he was already slowly backing away from it too. It was closest to him and while he wasn’t afraid of them, he wasn’t necessarily keen on getting stung. “Mike, look out for the-“

But he hit some boards that had been leaning on Georgie’s old playset, sending them crashing to the ground. Stan rushed to him, grabbing his arm to steady him before he fell over.

“My hero,” Mike smiled. 

They began to pick up the boards and lean them back where they had been, most of them still keeping an eye on the hornet who had meandered in the opposite direction.

Then, as Georgie was lifting his final board back up, he heard something strange. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” 

He furrowed his brow, thinking. “Like, a buzzing?” 

Richie immediately looked towards the rest of the boards on the ground and noticed one was slightly angled up in the middle. “Eds,” he pointed. “Look at that one.”

Eddie took a step forward but Richie grabbed a fist full of his shirt tail, keeping him from investigating. “What’s wrong with it?” he asked. 

“I think we should leave that one the way it is, guys.” Most of the others were looking at it now with suspicion.

“Why?” Bill asked, reaching for it.

“Wait!” The others shouted, but it was too late. He lifted half the board and out came a swarm of hornets, loud and angry.

“Fuck this!” Richie cried and he threw Eddie over his shoulder as he took off down the street towards his car. Beverly grabbed for Ben’s hand while Bill tugged at Georgie’s sleeve and ran for the back door. “We’ll meet up later!” he yelled as he slammed the door shut and watched the other two run towards the street.

“Mike, the shed!” Stan cried out, ducking away from the angry insects and running wildly. 

But he was already there, door open and waiting. “Get in, quick!” And Mike slammed the door shut, praying they weren’t followed.

The buzzing continued behind the door, but they heard nothing inside. The both backed away, hoping there were no cracks large enough for them to squeeze through. Stan took a deep breath to calm himself as he crossed his arms. “I guess we’re stuck for now.”

“I guess so,” Mike replied, looking over his shoulder at Stan. He immediately looked away as he felt his cheeks flushed. 

The heat Stan told himself. 

It was hot and stuffy and dusty beyond belief. A few spider webs hung at the edges of the small room, still and unmoving. If Mike hadn’t been here, Stan admitted to himself, he might have been spooked. They had never gone into the shed, even as kids all those summers ago. They preferred Bill’s garage or the quarry for their hang-outs. This place held no childhood memories.

“Here, Stan,” he heard. Mike was sitting on a small table, a white linen sheet draped over it and just enough room left for him to nestle next to Mike. He combed a hand through his hair and cleared his throat as he walked over. “Nice find,” he said.

This was either Mike’s worst nightmare or his wildest dream. He had been hoping to talk with Stan. He wanted to tell him he thought he was in love with him but he wasn’t sure he was ready. He had practiced telling him in the heat of a moment, not in the heat of Bill’s shed. Would he say the words right? Should he say them at all? 

They sat in silence for a few moments before Mike was removing his shirt and wiping the sweat from his brow. “Sorry, Stan the man, it’s too damn hot in here.”

Stan was horrified. He had seen Mike before, they had gone to the quarry many times with the other Losers after they had met. But he had never seen him like this, arms wide with muscles and chest smooth and hard. Stan hadn’t known that Veterinary school could do that to a man.

“You look a little flushed yourself, feel free to uh-“ he motioned lifting his shirt, and his eyes momentarily fell onto Stan’s torso. It sent a rush of butterflies into Stan’s stomach. He nudged at Mike with his elbow. “Nah, I don’t want to embarrass you with my abs of steel,” he joked.

“Abs of steel, huh?” Mike smiled. “The way I remember it, your abs were just fine when we all swam at the quarry last.”

Despite his best efforts, Stan turned a deep shade of red. Mike’s chest swelled with hope.

“Then,” Stan started as he pretended to find something on the far table too interesting to leave be. He deadpanned, “you must have really, really low standards.”

Mike threw his head back with laughter, the sound echoing throughout the small shed. Stan found himself smiling fondly, loving the way Mike looked and sounded when he was laughing, and decided that he was the tiniest bit happy that Bill had picked up that board.

Suddenly, a box caught his eye just above Mike’s still laughing form, leaning out towards him from its precarious perch. Mike must have dislodged it when he slammed the door. 

“Uh,” he began, already inching towards Mike. “I think that box is about to fall.”

Mike looked back to Stan with tears in his eyes and a big smile on his face and another rush of butterflies poured out into Stan’s stomach. He almost wanted to tell him so when the box began to slide forward. “Mike!” 

Stan reached out and pulled Mike towards him just as the box fell. It crashed to the ground and Stan felt the wind knocked out of him when he collided with Mike, sending them both to the shed floor. Mike landed atop Stan, heavy with muscle and sticky from the heat. 

“Holy shit!” he said, scrambling backwards off of Stan. “I could have- do you know how heavy I am? What if I had hurt you?” 

Stan sat up so he was facing Mike and pointed to the box laying silently now behind him. “What if that had hurt you?” On the floor were some old and rusted tools, spilling forth from the decaying cardboard box that had fallen directly onto the table where Mike had been sitting seconds ago.

“Oh.”

Stan reached forward and gently brushed at Mike’s face. He was thankful he had gotten to him in time.

“Dust,” he lied, fingertips lingering on his skin.

Mike leaned into his touch. “Dust,” he agreed.

~

“Richie! Put me down, are you insane?!”

Eddie was holding onto Rich for dear life, Richie’s shoulder poking into his stomach with every new stride forward. 

“Hornets don’t follow people, you’re ridiculous, put me down!”

But then he heard a buzzing sound fly past his face and his mouth fell open. There was no way. No way these insects, these bugs, these things the size of his pinky finger were following them. But then he heard it again, this time much closer. 

“Holy shit, Rich!” he hollered. “It’s following us! Don’t put me down, where the fuck is your car??”

Eddie tightened his hold, keeping his head low. 

“This is crazy!” he thought. “This is absolutely crazy!” He knew Richie running down the street with him thrown over his shoulder must have been a sight but, Eddie had to admit, he didn’t mind being in Richie’s arms. Or atop his shoulder. Or whatever this was.

The bugs put a damper on things, though.

“Rich, hurry up and -!”

Before Eddie could finish he was being thrown into Richie’s truck and Rich jumped in after, slamming the door shut and breathing heavy. The two of them sat in silence for a short while, their eyes searching the windows and their ears tuned for the buzzing. But nothing came. Nothing landed on the window, nothing made a sound, nothing else was left. Just the two of them.

Eddie turned sharply to Rich, shoving at his arm and surprising him. 

“What the fuck was that, Richie?!”

Richie righted himself in the seat, rubbing at his arm and smirking playfully. “What? You mean saving you from that flying insect from hell? You’re welcome, my love.” He leaned forward and pinched Eddie’s cheek playfully before Eddie smacked it away.

“No, smartass, I’m talking about running across the street with me slung over your shoulder like a child!”

Richie opened his mouth to say something but Eddie kept going. “Do you know what people might think? And I might have a bruise thanks to you! Who is that scared of a wasp-“

“Hornet,” he corrected.

“A hornet! Who is that scared of a hornet?!” he sputtered. “And who tosses their friend over their shoulder to run off like that?”

Richie watched as Eddie continued, gesturing wildly and looking far more perturbed than he actually was. Richie probably should have been listening, he normally loved hearing Eddie talk about everything and anything, even this. But something Eddie said felt heavy on his chest and he suddenly felt like he had to say something or it would sink lower and lower until his entire chest was exposed and bare.

“And you could have tripped and I could have gone flying! One scrapped knee on the bacteria ridden concrete and then BAM! My leg is being amputated.”

Richie could wait no longer. “What would they think?”

Eddie paused. He looked to Richie for anything more, an explanation maybe. But nothing came. “What?” He asked quietly.

“What might people think, Eds?”

Suddenly, Eddie’s mouth felt very dry. And suddenly, everything felt very serious. 

Eddie had meant that people might think they were more than just friends. He knew that they weren’t, but he also knew he was, in fact, in love with his best friend and he knew he probably shouldn’t be. He also knew that he could explain this away the same way he explained all the other stupid things he said. But something deep in his gut, maybe his heart since he’d tried to place it as deep down inside of him as it would go, whispered not to.

At a loss for which to listen to, his head or his heart, he changed the subject. “Why did you take me?”

Richie blinked, his eyebrows furrowing. Eddie didn’t wait for his question. 

“Why did you take me with you and not Ben or Beverly? They were right there too.”

The silence between them wasn’t awkward or heavy, but it was like that breath you hold when you’re waiting for something, hopeful and a little nervous.

“Um...“ Richie began, looking at Eddie from behind his long lashes and blazing ember bangs. “I-“

Eddie was acutely aware that Richie was far closer to him now. So close he could see the specks of freckles along his cheekbones and across his nose. He willed himself to look no further, knowing just a short glance down would be lips he had thought about kissing too many times to count.

“I knew,” Richie whispered, “that your mom would never sleep with me again if I let anything happen to her little Eddie bear.” Eddie’s mouth gaped open but Richie dove across the seat, fingers reaching for Eddie’s sides and tickling him mercilessly.

“Richie!!” he shrieked, both of their laughter filling the car up and breaking whatever had been between them moments ago. “Richie, that’s disgusting!” 

“That’s not what she said when I got back from California three days ago, Eddie!”

Eddie was in tears, cheeks aching and stomach burning. “Quit it!” he roared between gasping breaths and laughter. “You’re such a- you’re such an ass!”

He relented, hovering over Eddie with a big, goofy smile on his face. “I know.”

They stayed that way for the briefest of moments, just long enough for both of them to feel like they missed an opportunity they might not get back. But in that brief moment, they both thought to themselves-

Next time.

~

Ben was out of breath. He was out of breath but he felt like he was soaring. Beverly was grasping his hand, pulling him along, and she was smiling while she was doing it. Her form was muddled by their running but she was still shining as far as Ben was concerned. She glowed from within like the sun was inside her and he was a moth to her light. 

‘I wish more hornets would show up,” he thought to himself. ‘If I could just hold her hand like this again.’ 

He groaned to himself, embarrassed by his own thought, and shook his head as if to rid himself of it. Instead, he just focused on running, happy to be running towards her.

Beverly hadn’t been worried about the hornets. She had just seen Richie tossing Eddie over his shoulder like a maniac and Bill hiking Georgie into his arms as he sprinted to his house and she thought ‘grab important person, grab Ben.’ All of the Losers were important to her, but Ben had become something entirely different the moment he had left for college three years ago. She wasn’t sure what had done it exactly, but she hadn’t entirely wanted to know when it happened. Just that it had.

And now she was grasping tightly to Ben’s hand, pulling him along down the street. She was smiling wide as she ran, the danger buzzing behind them relatively small but the thrill of holding Ben’s hand coursing through her, filling her up.

But then Ben’s hand was pulled from hers violently and she slid to a stop, hands already reaching back for him. He was on the ground, a pained look on his face and his mouth contorted into a grimace as he leaned back and his hands came to cradle his ankle.

She rushed to him, kneeling on the concrete beside him. “Oh no, Ben, what happened?” Her hands roamed over him briefly before resting on his back and bent knee, craning her neck to see his injury.

“I think,” he bit, “I think I sprained my ankle.”

He gently pulled up his pants leg, showing a small, blood laced scratch and a just barely protruding bump on the inside of his ankle. Beverly reached a hand towards it, careful and cautious. 

Ben was mortified. It hurt terribly, but his embarrassment was far worse. Couldn’t he do anything right for just a moment? Couldn’t he have run with Beverly however far she wanted to take him without making a complete fool of himself? He clenched his teeth in frustration and tried to right himself.

“Hey, wait!” But Ben was already up on his foot, arms outstretched for balance. “You should wait a minute,” she said, holding his arm to keep him steady. 

“It’s okay, Bev,” he gritted. “Just gotta, see how bad it is.”

“Ben,” she warned, keeping her hold on him. But he took a step forward and howled, falling back down to the rocky floor. 

“Okay,” he admitted, rolling back into a seated position, his useless leg outstretched. “It’s bad.”

Beverly knelt beside him, looking him over with nothing but worry in her eyes. Ben desperately wished for a do-over. Beverly was beside him within arms reach but he felt so far away from her. What could she possibly ever see in someone as clumsy as him?

She stood up abruptly, her face lighting up again with another smile. “Alright!” she said proudly, “I’ve got an idea!” Beverly reached both of her hands out to him and his gaze switched from her hands to her face, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Come on, Haystack, you can’t stay in the middle of the road forever!” His eyes widened before a smile erupted on his face. She smiled back playfully. “That’s right, I used the nickname, give me your hands!” For a moment he almost forgot his ankle was injured as he took her hands in his; he missed that one. ‘Haystack’ had been lost to their childhood, but every now and then, someone would bring it back. It sounded the best when she said it. 

Once he was standing, she put her arms on his shoulders to balance him quickly before turning around and patting her knees. She looked back at him with a smirk on her face as she said, “hop on!”

His mouth fell open and his eyebrows shot up, a strained laugh bubbling up from his chest. “Beverly,” he said, feeling suddenly as self conscious as he did as a kid. “You can’t possibly-“

“I can,” she interrupted. “What? Don’t think I’m strong enough, Haystack?” she said, drawing out his nickname so it lingered between them. He set his jaw, looking down shyly at his feet. “No, Bev. You’re the strongest person I know.”

His eyes darted back to her just in time for him to see the smile he elicited. Softly, she beamed, “then let’s go.”

He nodded once. “Okay, just don’t drop me. I’m delicate you know.”

“You are not,” she strained as he jumped onto her back. With hands grasping around his thighs she hiked him up with a quick jump, centering him at the small of her back. “You’re the strongest person I know too.”

He sheepishly buried his face into his arm which was slung around her neck, his other hand placed carefully on her shoulder. ‘This must be heaven,’ he sighed to himself.

“Just two blocks to my aunts place,” she mused. “Easy as pie. You’re light as a feather.”

And for once in his life, he felt that way.

~

It was two hours later that Bill texted everyone, asking to meet up at their favorite restaurant with Georgie. He asked if everyone would be okay if he brought one more. His girlfriend from college had surprised him. 

“I think you guys will like Audra,” he said. 

And soon enough, they did.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it. :))


End file.
